A VISIT from Father Christmas, trips to the pantomime and a turkey with trimmings may be the seasonal diet for most children, but for four little girls they are strange and wonderful luxuries.

Xenia, Liza, Katya and Victoria flew in from Rybinsk, Russia, on Christmas Eve to spend six weeks in the region, experiencing Christmas and bringing in the New Year the British way.

Two are staying at the home of Wendy and Ged Feast, of Holly Street, Blackburn, who have organised the visit, and two with their friend, Debbie Tyrev, in Clayton-le-Moors.

Wendy and Ged braced themselves for a full house as they already have two daughters, Jenna, ten, Wendy, eight, and a four-year-old son, Scott, who have played host to Russian children many times.

"They always get on really well together and Jenna can speak some Russian and Ukraine," said Wendy. "I'm not sure how they celebrate Christmas but we think their celebrations are focused around January 6 rather than December so we are planning a party for them then too.

"They had presents under the tree like our children."

Ged and Wendy began organising trips for the children in 1993 after reading about similar visits planned by Chaigeley Manor.

Since then, they have brought 24 children to this country but this is the first time any have spent Christmas in England.

The first little girl, Marina, was nine years old and came over in December 1993.

"When you do something like this it opens your eyes," Wendy said. "Marina had four sets of clothes on and one was like a babygrow. If you cuddled her she would cry and when she said, 'you my mother', I would cry."

Wendy and Ged did not speak a word of Russian but had a pen-friend in the country who sent them a phrase book.

"She didn't speak any English so we acted, we danced and we read Ladybird books to communicate," said Wendy.

The couple have also invited children over from the Ukraine who were suffering from the effects of the Chernobyl tragedy.

"One little girl arrived at Gatwick Airport, got off the plane and immediately collapsed," said Wendy. "She had stomach ulcers and we had to carry her to the bus."

Wendy and Ged admit that the hardest part about the children's visits is when they leave.

She added: These children are not necessarily orphans but they all need love and attention. We're not rich people but we can offer them patience, understanding and a taste of family life."

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